Critical Love for Community Q BBQ
November 28, 2009 | 11:27 amThough his assessment is based only on one takeout container, AJC food critic John Kessler echos a couple recent comments here calling Community Q BBQ “some of the best barbecue I’ve eaten in Atlanta.”
And lucky for Decaturites, it’s just a quick ride up Clairemont to Clairmont in the former Epicurian catering space!
![Picture of the day [34]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/4328709238_033fd33ecc_t.jpg "Picture of the day [34]")
yes, I would agree, very very good stuff. The crusty, smoky, and moist beef rib is really a thing of beauty straight out of the Flinstones!
We love the homemade cole slaw which bears no resemblance to what you usually get in restaurants and grocery stores. It would convert a non-cole slaw lover into a fan.
Both the pulled pork and chicken were excellent. We tried five different sides, and all but the baked beans (one thumb up, three down) were hits. The quality of the BBQ (and sides) was definitely better than Maddy’s. On the other hand, the place is nondescript, there is no beer, and no blues. A superb choice for take-out.
Went to Community Q ,B-B-Q on Saturday for lunch after reading the post on DM and other food critic postings. The B-B-Q is great. I had the beef ribs (a hard find in the Atlanta area) and brisket with a side of baked beans and Mac and cheese. The ribs were moist, meaty and cooked to perfection; the brisket was also moist with the right amount of smoke flavor. My wife had the St. Louis pork ribs which were also cooked to perfection fall off the bone tender. I have tried a lot of B-B-Q all over the Atlanta area and the US and Community is right up their with the best
Fox Brothers’ ribs are wonderful – just my preference.
Where on Clairmont is this place? What is it near?
It’s in the little shopping center alongside Athen’s Pizza House.
CL’s Cliff Bostock has now also chimed in on Community Q and says that it may be setting a new standard for BBQ in Decatur.
Can someone elaborate on this “no beer” business. I’m familiar with some boozeless restaurants that are well worth the visit but beerless BBQ? That doesn’t seem physically possible.
Is this the grand plan or are they just waiting on their license?
I went this afternoon and it was excellent. The pulled pork was marvelous.
My son and I got some take out yesterday around 11am. The staff was so freaking nice that I just knew that the cue would be good too, and I was not disappointed. The potato salad & cole slaw are the best I’ve had, with the pulled pork and St. Louis ribs coming in a very close 2nd to Fox Bros. You know your pork is good when you don’t have to drown it in sauce. Our 3 other guests were all tickled by the pig.
Very curious. Might have to lunch there today!
Ate there this evening – excellent bbq. A wonderful addition to the neighborhood. The staff was amazingly friendly too. The family had the pulled pork, 1/2 chicken and a 1/2 slab of ribs, all of which were very good. The sides were hit and miss with the Mac & Cheese a winner but the bbq beans weren’t as good as everything else.
As far as the “no beer”, one of the employees (I suspect he might have been the owner) advised that he probably wouldn’t get a liquor license this year and may go “BYOB” after the New Year.
We will definitely be back, just no beans this time.
We got takeout from there tonight– spousal unit got the St. Louis ribs 1/2 rack, I got the pulled chicken, and we got several sides (the baked beans, collards, mac & cheese, and slaw). They gave us two kinds of barbecue sauce to go with the chicken (the vinegary kind, and a more “traditional” thick & spicy kind). My only quibble was that pork permeates the baked beans & collards so that picking it out is almost impossible (I can’t eat the swine, although I wish I could)– but everything was deeeeelishus. The pulled chicken was perfect– smoky, tender, falling apart (almost didn’t need the sauce!), and hubby reported the ribs to be d@mned near perfect. Portions are pretty large (we both have enough for dinner another night). I’m thrilled to have these folks so close by– and they’re just as nice as can be, both over the phone & in person. Kudos for turning us on to them with the blurb, DM– we owe ya one!
Great Food and Great People. Sure to be here for a LONG,LONG time. No joke. Fries are better than 5 Guy’s which was my pedestal. Best of luck to a talented group. Closer than you think. Where will the next one be??